Pinking attachment for sewingmachines



Jan. 23, 1934. v. J. SIGODA PINKING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jar 6, 1950 INVEEQ TQR I ZCZOP-Z JzgOKZa ar M6 ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1934, v. J. SIGODA 1,944,580 7 PINKING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 6, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 72 Q/Qyi I 64 73 74 74 V \W A INV'ENTOR Vida/I fzyada CZ/ 4 4 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1934 PATENT} OFFICE PINKING ATTAOHIHENT FOR same- I HINES MAC Victor J. Sigoda, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 6, 1930. Serial No. 418,790

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a pinking attachment for use in connection with sewing-machines, an object of the invention being the provision of a device of this kind which is adapted to becarried or mounted upon the bed plate of the machine below the arm of the machine and in such position that the pinking wheel or cutter can operate upon the fabric being sewed and closely adjacent to the sewing line produced upon the fabric.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an attachment of this character, constructed and mounted to receive its power from the feed dog of the machine, so as to be operated simultaneously with the operation of themachine and trim the edge of the fabric concurrently with the forward fed advancement of the fabric by the feed dog.

One feature of the invention lies in the provision of a simplified construction in which the cutting pressure of the pinking wheel can be increased or decreased at will, and in which the operative position of the pinking wheel can be quickly and conveniently varied to suit the thickness of the fabric, or the thickness of two or more combined pieces of fabric.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which will involve certain desired features of simplicity, efficiency and convenience and in' a manner as hereinafter more fully set forth, both in regard to the use and application of the device as an attachment and in regard to the operation of the device for trimming the edge of the fabric simultaneously with the stitching thereof.

My invention is illustrated as associated with the well-known parts of a Singer sewing-machine of common type; but it is to be understood that the use of my invention is not limited to a machine of that particular type or make, for in its broad aspect it involves principles of general application, capable of being used in connection with any sewing or stitching machine having a feed 45 dog or equivalent mechanism by which to advance the fabric.

Other objects and aspects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The inventionresides in the improved pinking attachment, and in the construction and relative arrangement or arrangements of the parts,- as

I will behereinafter'more fully set forth and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

Several simple and practical embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this specification, and in which:'

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a sewing-machine equipped with a pinking attachment embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 represents a plan and section on a larger scale, this view being taken on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 represents a detail cross section, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a detail section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 represents a top plan and section of a 7,, modified form of construction;

Fig. 6 is an elevation and section of the parts shown in Fig. 5; I Fig. '7 represents an enlarged cross sectional detail, taken on the line 7---'! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view and section, showing a further modification, particularly in regard to the driving engagement between the feed dog and driving gear; and

-Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring with more particularity to the accompanying drawings, the parts of the sewing machine which may be of any usual or approved design, comprise the bed plate 10, overhanging arm 11, needle bar 12, sewingneedle 13, throat plate 14, feed dog 15, feed dog carrier 16 and feed bar 17. vThese parts are all arranged to operate in the usual way.

The embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, comprises a frame structure illustrated herein as defining a housing 18 in which the parts of the device are compactly arranged and which may be of any form or shape suitable for the purpose. In the present instance, this housing is disclosed as having a top 19, front and rear ends 20 and 21, and a rear side 22. At its bottom the housing is represented as being open, and its front side is partially closed by a shield 23, the utility of which will appear hereinafter. This housing is placed upon the bed plate 10 of the machine, below the arm 11 and closely adjacent the inner side of the-stitching needle. 1n the present instance, the front and rear ends 20 and 21 are represented as provided 106 along their bottom edges with outwardly projecting flanges 24 and 25 respectively, which serve as suitable base portions adapted to rest flat upon the fiat top of the .bed plate.

As best-illustrated in Fig. 3, the top 19 of the 11 ing element against the tension of the spring 49.

' the boss, secures the shaft rigidly in place.

housing is formed with a boss 26 in which is fitted the reduced portion 2'7 of a. shaft 28 formed at its lower end with a disc-shaped part 29. This shaft is secured in depending position, the upper end of its reduced portion 27 being suitably threaded for the reception of a securing nut 30, which, when threaded tightly against the top end of 31 denotes a wheel hub which is turnably fitted upon the shaft 28 between the boss 26 and disc-shaped portion 29. With this hub are integrally formed lower and upper wheels .32 and 33, the lower wheel being of considerably larger diameter than the upper one. The lower wheel is formed with downwardly projecting gear teeth 34, which, in the present instance, are of the spur gear type, adapted to be engaged by the upwardly project ing spur gears 35 of the feed dog section 36. The

upper wheel has formed thereon upwardly projecting gear teeth 3'? which mesh with the gear teeth 38 formed at the inner end of the hub 39 of thepinking wheel 40. The cutting teeth 41 of the pinking wheel may be of any design, depending upon the design of the trim to be produced along the edge of the fabric or goods.

For the adjustable support of the pinking wheel, I provide a rocking element 42, which is formed, in order to be suitably pivoted, with an axis-like end 43. Suitable trunnions 44, screwthreaded through the boss portions 45 at the opposite ends of the housing, engage the axis-like end 43 at'opposite points. Said rocking element 42 has an opening 46 to provide a clearance about the hub 31, and forwardly of said hub, this element is produced with a neck portion 4'? which inclines upwardly and forwardly at an angle. The pinking wheel is fixed to the outer end of the neck portion 47 by means of an axis screw 48, the inner end of which isthreaded into said neck portion. In this way, the pinking wheel is mounted to the rocking element for movement therewith, it being noted in this connection that the pinking wheel is thus mounted in an inclined position so that it will operate upon the fabric in close proximity to the line of stitching or sewing produced by the stitching needle 13. In accordance with a feature of this arrangement, the inter-engaged gear teeth of the upper wheel 33 and of the pinking wheel hub are cut relatively deep, the object being to permit relative vertical adjustment of the pinking wheel while maintaining operative connection with the upper gear wheel 33. For giving the pinking wheel the desired cutting pressure, I provide a tensioning spring 49 which is secured at one end at 50 to the under face of the housing top 19, the forward end of this spring having portions 51 tensioned upon the top of the rocking element and tending to force it in a downward direction. The degree of the tension exerted upon the rocking element may be regulated by means of an adjusting screw 52 which is threaded through the top 19 of the housing as shown.

Mechanical means may be provided for lifting the pinking wheel and consequently the rock- For this purpose, in the present instance, I show a. hand lever 53 attached to the outer end of a turning cam member 54 which is made with a reduced portion 55 turnably fitting in a bearing provided in the boss 56 of the housing end 20.

At its inner end, the cam member 54 has a flat region 5''. which is spaced a distance below a lug 58 projecting from the neck of the rocking element. As best shown in Fig. 2 the underneath portion 59 of the member 54 is of cam-like form. designed to contact the lug 58 and to thereby elevate thepinking wheel when the lever 53 is elevated. By this arrangement, the pinking wheel may be elevated whenever it is desired to place the fabric or goods as 60 into position to be trimmed; and in the present exemplification I have shown a member 61 which is adapted to serve as a guide for the edge of the fabric.

In the present embodiment, the throat plate 14 is represented as being thickened in a vertical direction so that the top surface thereof will be flush with the top surface of the lower gear wheel 32. In this way provision is made for suitably supporting the fabric 60 in a horizontal plane, it being noted that the pinking wheel operates upon the fabric to trim the edge thereof directly upon the fiat top surface of the lower gear wheel 32, In carrying out this provision, the upwardfy projecting toothed arms of the feed dog bed plates of new machines, with which the pinking device is to be employed, may be so made that it is unnecessary to alter the height of the throat plate and feed dog in order to provide. flush surfaces for the accommodation of the fabric.

To apply my attachment to a sewing machine, it is only necessary to place the housing upon the bed plate so that the teethof the lower gear wheel 32 will be engaged by the gear teeth of the feed dog section 36 each time the feed dog is given an advancing feed movement in the usual way. The advancing impulse of the feed dog is thus used as the source of power for operating the pinking wheel simultaneously with the advancing movement of the material operated upon. In this way, the sewing and trimming of the fabric are accomplished at one operation.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7,1 illustrate a modified form of construction in which the pinking wheel 62 is operatively supported in vertical position instead of in an inclined position. The housing 63, in this form of construction, is of considerably less size, and the upper gear wheel is produced in the form of a bevel pinion 64 which meshes with a bevel gear 65 fixed on the adja-- cent end of a shaft 66 which is mounted for rotation in a bearing 67 provided in the rocking element 68. Said shaft 66 is mounted in a horizontal position and to the outer end thereof is fixed. the pinking wheel 62. In this instance, therocking element 68 is held by a hinge pin 69 to a lug or knuckle '70 upstanding from the rear end of the housing. The forward end of the rocking element 68 is made in the form of a yoke '71 adapted to embrace an upstanding pin 72 which is attached at its lower end by a hinge pin '73 to a lug '74 upstanding from a point adjacent to the front end of the housing. Encircling the pin 72 so as to rest upon the top face of the yoke end '71 is a disc 75, and between said disc '75 and a wing nut '76 is imprisoned a coiled expansion spring 7'7. By turning the wing nut 76, which is screw-threaded upon the upper portion of the pin 72, the measure of tension exerted upon the rocking element 68 may be varied in an obvious manner. To elevate the pinking wheel so as to place the fabric thereunder in position to be trimmed, either the bearing portion 67 or the pinking wheel itself may be grasped by the fingers and lifted up against the tension of the spring 7'7. In the form of construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the teeth '78 of the lower wheel '79 and as well the teeth 80 of the feed dog 81 are illustrated as produced in the form of ratchet teeth. These,however, as in the previous form of construction, may be produced in the form of spur teeth.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the lower wheel 82 is represented as provided with teeth 83 on its circumference, while the teeth 84 on thefeed dog 85 project laterally so-as to cooperate with the circumferential teeth on-the wheel 82. In this arrangement, the advancing-feed movement of the feed dog imparts a feeding impulse to the lower wheel 82 precisely as in'the previous forms of construction.

The terms and expressions employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the featuresshown and described, or portions thereof, or arrangements thereof, but

recognize that various modifications both in the construction and relative arrangement of the parts are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.-

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, a pinking attachment comprising a unit including a frame structure adapted to be attached to the bed-plate of the sewing machine a rotary pinking wheel, means for driving the pinking wheel adapted to be operated by the feed-dog of the sewing machine, said pinking wheel being mounted in the frame structure for regulating the pressure which it exerts on the work.

2. A pinking attachment fora sewing machine, comprising in one unit for attachment to the sewing machine, a frame structure adapted 'to be attached to the bed plate of the sewing machine and carrying a gear wheel in spaced super-- position with said bed plate to permit rotation thereof and adapted to be engaged with and operated by the feed dog of the sewing machine, a rotary pinking wheel and an operative connection between the gear wheel and pinking I wheel for driving the latter, said pinking wheel having its cutting edges against the'face of the gear wheel whereby to pink the cloth material passed therebetween during the stitching of the ally actuable member carrying said pinking wheel same.

3. A pinking attachment for a sewing machine, comprising a frame structure, a rotary pinking wheel, a gear for actuating the pinking wheel, said pinking wheel having its cutting edge in contact with the face of the gear, the gear being provided with teeth adapted to be engaged with the teeth of the feed dog of the sewing machine and thus to be operated by the operation of the feed dog of the sewing machine, and adjustable means supporting said pinking wheel for making or breaking contact of the pinking wheel with the gear.

4.. A pinking attachment for a sewing machine, comprising a frame structure defining a housing, a shaft within the housing, a gear wheel on said shaft provided with teeth adapted to be engaged with the teeth of the feed dog of the sewing machine, whereby to be rotated by the operation of the feed dog, a rocking element in the housing, a rotary pinking wheel carried by said rocking element, means comprising gearing for driving the pinking wheel from said gear wheel, and manually operated means for adjusting the position of the rocking element.

5. A pinking attachment for a sewing machine comprising a frame structure defining a housing, a shaft within the housing, a gear wheel on the shaft provided with teeth adapted to be engaged with the teeth of the feed dog of the sewing machine, whereby to be rotated by the operation of the feed dog, a rockable tensioned axis carrying a pinking wheel, and means comprising intermeshing teeth on said gear and pinking wheel for operating the latter from the former, said intermeshing teeth being of an extent suflicient to provide for the rocking action of the pinking wheel during the rotation of the same by the gear wheel.

6. .A pinking attachment for a sewing machine comprising a frame structure, a shaft, a gear wheel on the shaft and provided with teeth adapted to be engaged with theteeth of the feed dog of the sewing machine, whereby to be rotated by the operation of the feed dog, a rocking element, a rotary pinking wheel carried by said rocking element, means for driving the pinking wheel from said gear wheel, tensioning means engaging the rocking element to place the rocking element under tension so as to cause the pinking wheel to, exert cutting pressure, and' means for varying the tension of the tensioning means.

'7. A pinking attachment for a sewing machine comprising a frame structure, a shaft, a gear wheel on the shaft and provided with teeth adapted to be engaged with the teethof the feed dog of the sewing machine, whereby to be rotatedby the operation of the feed dog, a rocking element, a rotary pinking wheel carried by said rocking element, means for driving the pinking wheel from said gear wheel, tensioning means engaging the rocking element to place the rocking element under tension so as to cause the pinking wheel to exert cutting pressure, means for varying the tension of the tensioning means, and a lever for moving the rocking element against the tension of the tensioning means.

8. Incombination with a feed dog of a sewing machine, a rotary pinking wheel, means operated by the feed dog for rotating the pinking wheel, said means comprising a gear wheel having engagement with the feed dog to be given rotary movement thereby, a driving connection including a relatively movable part arranged between said gear wheel and said pinking wheel, and a manuand relatively movable part for movement in unison and while said relatively movable part maintains its relation as a driving medium.

9. A pinking attachment comprising, in combination with a .bed plate having a feed dog, a frame structure mounted on the bed plate, a gear wheel carried by the frame structure and operated by the feed dog, a movable part on the frame structure carrying a pinking wheel, and means for operating the pinking wheel from the gear wheel.

10. A pinking attachment comprising in combination with abedplate having a feed dog, a

structure defining a housing upon the bed plate and carrying an adjustable element, a vertical shaft in the housing, a rotatable pinking wheel on the adjustable element, a-gear wheel on the vertical shaft having driven engagement withsaid feed dog and driving engagement with said pinking wheel, whereby to serve as the medium for operating said pinking wheel when said feed dog is operated, and means associated with the housing for yieldably maintaining the adjustable element in adjusted position.

11. In combination with a sewing machine, its bed plate, stitching needle and feed dog, of a housing structure attached to the bed plate ad-- jacent to the feed dog, a vertically disposed shaft within the housing fixed to the roof thereof, a gear wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft and meshing with the feed dog, and operable by the latter, said gear wheel having a recessed table portion with teeth-like projections, a pinking wheel meshed with said table top portion of the gearwheel for trimming fabric in close proximity to the stitching needle, and means for retaining said pinking wheel in rotatable contact with the gear wheel.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination with a bed plate and feed dog, of a housing attached onto the bed plate, a shaft in connection with the housing, a gear wheel on said shaft and driven by the feed dog thereof, a pinking wheel in coning wheel while maintaining its relation as a driving medium. I

13. In combination with a sewing machine, its feed dog and its bed plate, of a housing attached onto the bed plate, a shaft vertically disposed.

within the casing, a gear wheel having downwardly projecting teeth at the periphery thereof and mounted onto saidshaft and in meshing contact with the feed dog, a pinking wheel axially inclined to the face of the gear wheel, a pivotally adjustable arm carrying said pinkingawheel, a. driving connection intermediate the gear wheel and the pinking wheel, and a pressure bar for maintaining meshing contact of the pinking wheel with the driving connection, for rotation of said wheel and manually adjustable means in connection with the housing for depressing the pressure bar for trimming the fabric interposed between the face of the gear wheel and the cutting edge of the pinking wheel.

14. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitching mechanism, feeding mechanism and means for trimming the stitched edges of the work with a predetermined design, means for operating the stitching mechanism, means connected with the feeding mechanism for operating said trimming means, and means for regulating the pressure of the trimming means on the work.

15. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitching mechanism, means including a'circular cutter for trimming and feeding the stitched edges of the work with a predetermined design, means for operating said stitching mechanism, feeding mechanism, means connected therewith for operating said trimming means, and means for regulating the pressure of the trimming means on the work.

16. In a sewing machine, the combination of four-motion bottom feed mechanism, stitching mechanism, means for trimming the stitched edges of the work with a predetermined design comprising a rotary cutter operative as a top feeding mechanism for feeding the work, and means for operating said stitchingcmechanism and trimming means simultaneously, the latter connected with the feeding mechanism for operation 

